Thus neither the praise nor the blame is our own.

Thus neither the praise nor the blame is our own.

By some fortuitous concourse of atoms.
[Lat., Fortuito quodam concursu atomorum.]

By some fortuitous concourse of atoms.
[Lat., Fortuito quodam concursu atomorum.]

Men's plans should be regulated by the circumstances, not
circumstances by the plans.
[Lat., Consilia res magis dant read more

Men's plans should be regulated by the circumstances, not
circumstances by the plans.
[Lat., Consilia res magis dant hominibus quam homines rebus.]

What the discordant harmony of circumstances would and could
effect.
[Lat., Quid velit et possit rerum concordia discors.]

What the discordant harmony of circumstances would and could
effect.
[Lat., Quid velit et possit rerum concordia discors.]

The long arm of coincidence.

The long arm of coincidence.

F.M. The Duke of Wellington presents his compliments to Mr.
------ and declines to interfere in circumstances over which read more

F.M. The Duke of Wellington presents his compliments to Mr.
------ and declines to interfere in circumstances over which he
has no control.

The massive gates of circumstance
Are turned upon the smallest hinge,
And thus some seeming pettiest chance
read more

The massive gates of circumstance
Are turned upon the smallest hinge,
And thus some seeming pettiest chance
Oft gives our life its after-tinge.
The trifles of our daily lives,
The common things, scarce worth recall,
Whereof no visible trace survives,
These are the mainsprings after all.

I am the very slave of circumstance
And impulse--borne away with every breath.

I am the very slave of circumstance
And impulse--borne away with every breath.

And I endeavour to subdue circumstances to myself, and not myself
to circumstances.
[Lat., Et mihi res, non read more

And I endeavour to subdue circumstances to myself, and not myself
to circumstances.
[Lat., Et mihi res, non me rebus, subjungere conor.]